Health & Pregnancy

Pregnancy Essentials

Preparing for Parenthood With Yoga.

Yoga for Moms-to-Be

WebMD Archive

In Search of Studio continued...

"First of all, you want to be under the guidance of a
qualified teacher: How long has he or she been teaching? Is the teacher
interested in the students and does she have a nurturing quality?" says
O'Connor. "You want to know that this teacher is doing the poses safely and
effectively, in a nice, clean environment. You want to be in a cool, ventilated
room; you want to know that there are props available -- by props I mean
something to support the body, from a pillow to a block to a strap to a
blanket, and chairs and mats."

"I always look for cleanliness in a studio, and comfort. If
they don't have pillows or blankets, you probably won't be comfortable or feel
supported," says Sat Jirvan Kaur Khalsa. "You also want to go some
place you feel comfortable, where they know your name and appreciate your being
there. Sometimes gyms and exercise clubs may be the last place you want to take
class. They shift teachers a lot; they plug in less-qualified substitutes to
teach. Privately owned studios have a greater sense of responsibility."

Sat Jirvan Kaur Khalsa also recommends checking to see if a
studio or teacher has liability insurance. "I think it shows responsibility
on studio and teacher's part that they take the work seriously," she
says.

Calling All Pops! Calling All Pops!

Yoga isn't limited to women; expectant fathers can participate
in many ways. Some yoga centers offer special labor and delivery classes for
couples; others have classes for men.

"I think a man plays a very important role," says Sat
Jirvan Singh Khalsa, husband of Sat Jirvan Kaur Khalsa and co-director (with
her) of Kundalini Yoga East. "First of all, they have to recognize that the
woman is going through changes. The hormonal changes tend to make the woman a
lot more expansive and a lot less grounded. One of the things the man has to be
is the grounding influence in the couple -- regardless of what role the woman
had played before -- because the process of being pregnant so opens the woman.
So the man has to stay focused and give support."